Update - the owner responded to my review right away and the response at least appears sincere and appreciative. That is promising at least for an attentive ownership that is looking for feedback. Hopefully, that means an place that is always trying to improve. My review was fairly critical of the food, but is honest. The issues I experienced are certainly not deal breakers and seem very fixable. And perhaps others will have better experiences.....
Not very good, yet pricey. Unlikely to return. Newer restaurant to the area, so I wanted to try a few items to give it a fair shake. The inside is large and bright with sparce tables and a long bar along the left wall. I ordered to go and ate the food immediately after arriving at home.
I ordered a Cochinita Pibil Rice Bowl, a carné asada rice bowl, and an al pastor burrito, each were $17, which worked out to almost $60 for a to go order, after tax and a few dollars tip.
The first thing to notice is how tiny the burrito was for $17. Seriously, kids meal sized. See the picture- my hands are not particularly large- I wear medium sized gloves. The tortilla was quite dry. In fact the whole burrito was pretty dry. I don't usually prefer fresh pineapple added to Al pastor (vs cooked or what it is basting in), but it added a little much needed moisture. The rice was also quite dry and not well cooked- hard grains. I think the pork itself was pretty decent, but it was hardly noticeable in the burrito due to quantity.
The bowls (ordered without beans) were a bit better portion wise, but still pretty small for $17, yet still had that poorly cooked rice which ruins a burrito bowl. I'm not sure if it was old rice, or if not enough water was used/undercooked. They were ordered for others in my family, but I ended up eating much of it because my family did not enjoy them.
The Cochinita Pibil Rice Bowl also had very salty pork, which otherwise tasted ok. The carné asada (the meat itself) was not overly salty like the pork, and I think ended up slightly better for this reason.
On the more positive notes, the person working there was helpful and friendly, answering my questions about the menu and making suggestions. I intentionally ordered 3 types of meat to get enough variation to make a judgment. But the quality and price balance just aren't there.
I wish them the best, but unless my experience is an aberration I am not optimistic about their success at this location. The plaza in general is likely busy enough for success, but not busy enough for random traffic to sustain them. They'll need people to return. Hopefully their quality control will improve. But not a great sign for a fairly new restaurant. read more